The Darkness Within
by Chibi-Slacker
Summary: Sometimes what you don't know CAN hurt you. Ranma has learned this. The point is about to be driven home.
1. Prologue

Hi there! This idea was rattling around in my   
head and I just had to get it out.  
  
*************************************  
"The Darkness Within-Prologue"  
  
Ranma 1/2 X-over  
  
By: Slacker(r_heins@yahoo.com)  
  
*************************************  
Mount Phoenix, You can figure out the time.  
  
"Akane!" Ranma screamed. I have to   
finish this! She won't last much longer!  
  
Ranma reached deep inside himself,   
deeper than he had ever managed before. He   
reached down until he found the power he   
needed. Power different than chi, power he   
had never felt before, power he had never   
needed before. But Akane's life was in the   
balance, and he would do anything necessary   
to save her. He touched the power. And used   
it.  
  
"Hiryu Shoten Ha Revised! Flying Dragon   
Ice Breakthrough!"   
  
Saffron felt the power Ranma raised, just   
before it froze him and shattered him to   
pieces. Two others felt it, as well. One was   
a large black man who was about to enter a   
nightclub in downtown Chicago. He looked up   
and scanned the night.   
  
"Hey. You've stopped. Is there a problem?"   
His partner asked over the com-set.   
  
"No. I just had a weird feeling. I think   
something bad just happened. I can feel   
something. It almost feels like what I got from   
Frost. I've got a hunt to organize after we're   
done here." He replied. "We'll talk more later.   
I need to concentrate on the job now."   
  
That said, he pulled out a custom-modified   
assault rifle, shot the doorman (who crumbled   
into ash), and kicked the door of the nightclub   
in.   
  
"Hey, bloodsuckers! Guess who's here!" He   
yelled as he opened fire.  
  
The other person to feel the power was   
in the Carpathians. He was a tall, pale man   
with long brown hair. He was dressed in a   
black hat with a red gem on the hatband, a deep   
blue cloak which had black trim with red   
triangles on it, black gloves and boots, and a   
large, thin, curving blade strapped across his   
back.   
  
He looked up, and said, "Blast! He has   
awoken! I had hoped that it would not go that   
far! Now I have to deal with it." He then   
proceeded to his destination, a large   
foreboding castle.  
  
***************  
Nerima, Tendo Dojo, Post-Incident  
  
Ranma woke up gasping. Ever since   
Saffron, he had been having dreams.   
Nightmares, really. Visions of fangs, and   
glowing red eyes. A dark presence that seemed   
to beckon. He hadn't been able to get a   
decent amount of sleep in weeks. It was the   
reason his BAKA father and Mr. Tendo had   
managed to get the drop on him and shove him   
into a tuxedo for that "wedding." Ha! More   
like a battleground. The only good part   
about the whole thing was that he had managed   
to get some rest when he was out cold.  
  
Ranma slowly got up and went to the   
window. It was just barely dawn. He looked   
out the window at the horizon. The sun seemed   
to hit his eyes like a brick. Aargh! That's   
BRIGHT! Kami-sama, what's with my eyes   
lately? They've been really friggin'   
sensitive!   
  
Ranma stood up, and moved to the   
bathroom. When he got there, he went over to   
brush his teeth to get rid of the "three-  
days-dead" taste in his mouth. He picked up   
his toothbrush, put toothpaste on it, looked   
in the mirror, and his toothbrush hit the   
floor. He stared at his reflection. Fangs?   
  
Indeed, they were. Both his upper and lower   
canines were noticeably longer and thinner.   
Oh, Kami-sami! I look like a Hibiki! This   
has to be a bad dream.   
  
Ranma closed his eyes and rubbed them hard.   
When he opened them, the fangs were still there.   
He pinched himself. Nope, not a dream.   
  
Come on, come on, come on! Go away! COME   
ON! As Ranma concentrated, the fangs slowly   
shrank back down to his normal canines. Oh,   
thank the kamis!   
  
Just as Ranma was beginning to relax and   
was leaning over to pick up his toothbrush,   
the door to the bathroom opened. He sniffed.   
Nabiki.  
  
She stumbled across the room, heading   
for the furo, stripping off her pajamas as   
she went. Ranma froze. I'mgonnadie.  
  
Nabiki opened the door to the furo, turned   
on the light, and closed the door.  
  
Ranma just stayed where he was for a few   
seconds. When he determined that Nabiki wasn't   
going to kill him, he tried to figure out what   
had just happened.  
  
Ok, I'm about to brush my teeth, Nabiki   
comes in, strips, and walks right past me. This   
is really freaky. I'm getting out of here. NOW!  
  
Ranma went to the door and silently opened   
it. He winced at the light in the hallway. As he   
went through, he started to shut off the light   
out of habit. He stopped. The lights were   
already off. He flipped the switch just to make   
sure. Yep, they were on now. He flipped the   
switch back to the off position and shut the   
door. He was walking down the hallway when he   
realized something.  
  
Wait. If the light was off, how could I   
see?  
  
***************  
Furinkan High, the soccer field.  
  
"...OOOOOOMMMMMMMBBBBBOOOOOYYYYY!!!"   
  
*CRASH!!!!*   
  
Enter Ranma, via the standard method.  
  
"Oh, man. Why'd she have to hit me so hard?   
I just complimented Kasumi on how good the food   
was." Ranma muttered as he rubbed his head. (Of   
course, then he added that someone else's was   
toxic waste.)  
  
"Hello." A deep voice said from behind   
Ranma.  
  
Ranma whirled around. He looked at the man.   
He was a tall, pale man with long brown hair. He   
was dressed in a black hat with a red gem on the   
hatband, a deep blue cloak which had black trim   
with red triangles on it, black gloves and   
boots, and a large, thin, curving blade strapped   
across his back.   
  
The sword made Ranma pause. The man was at   
least six feet tall. The sword hilt started   
several inches above his head on his left side   
and the scabbard was visible poking out by his   
calf on the right. That made the sword at least   
six feet long, maybe longer. You needed a lot of   
skill to use a weapon like that.  
  
Ranma jumped to an obvious conclusion, at   
least for his life. He sank into his usual 'non-  
stance' ready stance.  
  
"So, you here to kill me?"  
  
The man sighed. His voice was very tired as   
he spoke.   
  
"You know, I had truly hoped I would not   
have to do this."  
  
"Whadda mean?" Ranma asked, confused.  
  
In response, the man simply drew his sword.  
  
Ranma smirked. Thought so. This ought to be   
quick. "Well, before we fight, you should know   
something. I'm Ranma Saotome, of the Saotome   
school of Anything Goes Martial Arts. I'm the   
best fighter of my generation. You ain't got a   
chance of beating me."  
  
The man said nothing as he sank into a ready   
stance. Ranma analyzed his movements as they   
began to circle.   
  
Hmmm. Don't recognize the style. Emphasis   
upon the sword. No surprise, there. Looks like a   
bit of kendo, some European fencing, and a few   
others. This might be fun. I wonder...  
  
Ranma's thoughts were interrupted when the   
man rushed at him. Ranma quickly dodged or   
blocked all of the strikes. The man ended his   
rush facing away from Ranma.  
  
"That the best you got?" Ranma asked   
arrogantly.   
  
The man turned to face Ranma. His voice was   
calm when he spoke.  
  
  
"Three things. First, I am called D. Second,   
while you are possible the best fighter of your   
generation, I am not of your generation. And   
third...." D stopped speaking.  
  
"What? What's number three?" Ranma demanded.  
  
D just smiled and pointed at Ranma's   
clothes.   
  
"Huh?" Suddenly Ranma became aware of a   
multitude of sharp pains all over his body. He   
looked down and saw that his clothing had small   
cuts all over it. Then D spoke again.  
  
"Three. I know pressure points."  
  
Ranma looked up just in time to lose feeling   
from his neck down. He collapsed on his back.   
As he was lying on the ground trying to get his   
non-responsive muscles to move, he heard   
footsteps coming closer. A shadow fell over his   
face. He looked up at D. D had a look of great   
sadness on his face as he raised his sword and   
spoke.  
  
"I am truly sorry about this."  
  
Then the sword flashed, and Ranma felt a   
great pain, and then...he felt nothing.  
  
To be continued...  
*****************************  
Author's Big-Mouth Piece:  
  
  
Yes, I know that's another evil cliffhanger.   
Yes, I know some of you hate them. *shrugs*   
Sorry.  
  
I've had this thing sitting half-finished on   
my hard drive for the last six months.   
  
Then Andrew Wilson started to talk about a   
Ranma/Nightbane crossover. Then he wrote it. And   
that provided the motivation for me to finish   
this baby.   
  
So blame Andrew for this. (Joking, joking!)   
Thanks man!  
  
I hope to have some more of this out fairly   
soon. Other things I'm working on will dictate   
how soon, though. So, no promises.  
  
  
Ja Ne!  
Slacker  
  
Visit my homepage:  
http://www.angelfire.com/anime/Slacker  
  
  



	2. Chapter 1--Look Who's Back

Well, you need to read the Prologue or you   
won't get a thing here.   
  
Find it on my homepage:  
http://www.angelfire.com/anime/Slacker  
  
The Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2? Not mine. It's   
Rumiko Takahashi's. Vampire Hunter D? Not mine   
either. It's...um, I forget. Any OTHER   
characters that aren't original to me? They   
belong to other people, too.  
  
**************************  
"The Darkness Within-Chapter 1"  
  
A Ranma 1/2 X-over.  
  
By: Slacker (rheins@pmt.org)   
**************************  
  
Nabiki hung up the phone and sighed. She was   
beginning to despair.  
  
Ranma had disappeared over six months ago.   
Six months!   
  
It was beginning to really annoy her, too.   
Wherever Ranma was, he was hidden well. She   
couldn't find any trace of him anywhere. No exit   
records from Japan, no entrance records anywhere   
else. Of course, Ranma claimed to be able to   
swim from China to Japan, so that didn't mean   
anything.   
  
She had every one of her operatives looking   
out for anyone who resembled either of his forms   
in the least little bit, but so far had found   
absolutely nothing. The only conclusion she   
could draw was that he was deliberately hiding.   
  
And doing a damn fine job, too.   
  
Personally, Nabiki didn't care if Ranma   
disappeared. She liked him well enough, but it   
meant a lot less headache for her. Sure, it cut   
into her profits a little, but she made that up   
in repair costs.   
  
But, since he had disappeared, Akane had   
been at first depressed, than quickly slipped   
back into her old behavior. Nabiki knew her   
sister well enough to know that she was just   
trying to cope with Ranma's disappearance. Which   
meant that Akane was hurting.  
  
And no one hurt her family. No one. Ever.  
  
She was going to find Ranma for Akane even   
if it was just so Akane could beat him into a   
bloody pulp.  
  
Nabiki leaned back in her chair and rubbed   
her eyes. She looked at the clock.  
  
Oh, man. One in the morning? I've got to   
get to bed. I'll continue this tomorrow.  
  
Nabiki got up and went over to her bed. As   
she started to drift off to sleep, a final   
thought went through her head.   
  
Where in the hell could he be?  
  
****************************  
3 AM, the bad part of Nerima.  
  
  
The girl had made a mistake. She was walking   
by herself in the wrong part of town way too   
late. Added to the fact that her body left no   
doubt as to her femininity, especially dressed   
in her tight blue jeans and T-shirt, this was a   
VERY serious mistake.  
  
Which explained why she was now backed into   
an alley with three men blocking the exit.  
  
"Well, well. What do we have here?" The   
leader, a large, green-haired man with a   
clothespin through his nose, asked with a lewd   
grin.  
  
"I don't know, boss. Maybe she needs some   
directions?" The bald, lanky punk to his left   
responded as he played with a length of chain.  
  
"Maybe we need to help her out?" The short,   
brown-haired punk to his right asked. He was   
shirtless and body-pierced to the point of   
chain mail.  
  
"Good idea. Miss, do you need us to help you   
out? Of those clothes, maybe?" The leader leaned   
forward, his grin getting much larger at the   
look on the girls face. I wonder if she's a   
natural redhead? Well, I'll know in a few   
minutes, won't I?  
  
"I love to see the terror on their faces   
when they realize they just made the biggest   
mistake of their life." The bald punk commented   
as the leader reached for the girl's chest.   
  
"Funny. I was about to say the same thing."   
The girl said in a calm tone. The leader   
hesitated for a few seconds, then continued to   
reach for her chest. She smiled calmly as she   
grabbed his wrist and proceeded to squeeze. The   
leader hit the ground from the pain she was   
causing.   
  
"Did I mention that I really, REALLY dislike   
rapists?" The woman politely asked as she   
casually crushed his wrist. He screamed in agony   
and fell to the ground. The other two looked at   
each other and ran for the street. They didn't   
make it. Screams of agony rang out across the   
street.   
  
Thirty seconds later, the girl walked out of   
the alley, brushing dust off her T-shirt as she   
went. She smiled as she patted the new addition   
to her petty cash fund resting in her pocket.   
Well, that was useful, in a way. Nerima seems   
to have slipped a bit. Those morons never would   
have tried that a few months ago. Oh, well. They   
won't be trying it again.  
  
She brushed some hair out of her blue eyes   
as she put her sunglasses on and grinned. I'm   
gonna have some fun here. Ooooh, yes. A lot of   
fun.  
  
Ranma Saotome was back in Nerima. Let the   
chaos begin anew.  
  
**********************************  
Tendo Dojo, the next morning.  
  
Kasumi winced as the door slammed after   
Akane's exit. Akane had been growing less   
depressed and more angry over Ranma's   
disappearance recently. She had reverted to   
destroying large amounts of bricks in order to   
work off her anger. So far, Kasumi was unable to   
see any positive results.  
  
"So, she left already." Nabiki stated from   
the kitchen doorway.  
  
"Yes. And she seemed rather...." Kasumi's   
voice trailed off as she tried to find a polite   
way to describe Akane's attitude.  
  
"Try 'Bitchy.'" Nabiki suggested with a   
smirk.  
  
"Nabiki! Language!"   
  
"Sorry. Just being truthful." Nabiki took   
the bowl of miso that Kasumi handed her as they   
both sat at the table. After she had eaten a few   
mouthfuls, she spoke again. "I can't really   
blame her. Between Ranma's little vanishing act,   
Shampoo's and Ukyo's harassment, and the fact   
that there's currently 20 to 1 odds on Kuno re-  
issuing the `Beat her to date her' challenge,   
she's got a right to be a bit...angry."  
  
"Yes, you're probably right. I hope she   
feels better after today." Kasumi said with a   
sigh.  
  
Fat chance. "Oh, I'm sure she will."   
Nabiki said with sarcasm that Kasumi completely   
missed.  
  
"Oh, that's good."  
  
Nabiki shook her head as she got up and went   
out the door. I still can't tell if she's truly   
that oblivious or just ignores the   
unpleasantness.  
  
She quickly put the thought out of her head   
and began to mentally get in gear for school.  
  
*******************  
Furinkan high.  
  
"Sakura, what are all those boys doing?" Jun   
asked her friend, pointing at the large group of   
boys gathering in front of the school. They were   
both new to Furinkan, having transferred from   
Juban. Their parents had said something about   
'getting away from the chaos.'   
  
"I...don't know, Jun." Sakura was beginning   
to think that Furinkan might not have been the   
best place her parents could have sent her. So   
far, she had seen a boy who couldn't seem to   
walk five feet without getting lost, a boy with   
a bokken declaring his devotion to his 'two true   
loves', and a girl who had a weird fetish with   
pigs. Sakura had gone into a mild case of shock   
when she saw the size of the pig following the   
girl. Now she was at the 'comfortably numb'   
stage. "And I don't think I want to know."  
  
"You must be new to Furinkan."   
  
Both of the girls jumped at the deep voice.   
They spun around to see who had spoken. The   
first thing they noticed were his clothes.   
  
Dark blue Chinese shirt, black pants, black   
shoes. Then they noticed other details. Black   
hair. Wrap-around sunglasses with mirrored   
lenses. Black leather gloves. His head was   
turned to look down the street, so they could   
see that he had a braid. The braid was long,   
thin, and reached the middle of his thighs. As   
he turned his head back to regard them, he   
removed his sunglasses.   
  
Sakura and Jun both tried to keep from   
drooling. He was absolutely GORGEOUS! His most   
striking feature was his eyes. They were an   
incredible shade of blue.  
  
Sakura turned to her friend. "Dibs!"  
  
As Jun stared at her in disbelief, Sakura   
began to edge closer to her new one true love.   
Right before she latched herself onto his arm,   
he spoke.  
  
"Do you know martial arts?"  
  
"Um, no. Why?" Sakura responded.  
  
"Magic?"  
  
"Noooo. Why?" Sakura was a bit puzzled at   
the line of questioning.  
  
"Are you a psi?"  
  
"Nuh-uh. Why?!" And what's a 'psi'?  
  
"How about just plain insanely tough or   
fast?"  
  
Sakura mutely shook her head.  
  
"Well, then. You don't want to be my   
significant other. Trust me."  
  
"Why not?" Sakura asked in an indignant   
tone.  
  
"You wouldn't survive it."  
  
"Excuse me?" Jun said in an incredulous   
tone.  
  
"I said she wouldn't survive it. Simple   
fact."  
  
As Sakura and Jun tried to figure out what   
he meant by that remark, he turned his head and   
grinned.  
  
"Here she comes. Time for the show to   
begin."  
  
"What show?" Jun shook herself out of her   
bemusement enough to ask. He has the NICEST   
smile.  
  
"That one." He said as he pointed towards   
the gate just as shorthaired girl ran through   
screaming. In short order she had rendered the   
mob of boys unable to move, much less fight. She   
was about to go into the school when the bokken-  
wielding boy stopped her.  
  
"Ah, Akane Tendo, my beauteous tigress, how   
the heavens rejoice at the rejoining of our   
love! Behold do the...."  
  
Behind them, the boy smiled as he announced   
"Kuno looks to have gotten better. Must have   
been training. Might take Akane a few more   
seconds to nail him than usual."  
  
His prediction was rendered moot when a   
bandanna-clad boy slammed a fist into the back   
of Kuno's head. Kuno dropped like a brick. Akane   
promptly began to yell at her helper.  
  
"Same Akane, I see. 'Appreciation? What's   
that?' Sheesh, and they wanted me to marry her."  
  
Sakura and Jun looked at each other. The   
same thought was running through both of their   
heads. Marry?  
  
Seeing their looks, the boy quickly   
explained. "Our dads got drunk off their asses   
before we were even born and had this GREAT   
idea."  
  
"Oooooh." They said in comprehension.  
  
"Yeah, neither of us were happy about the   
idea." He responded.  
  
"Happo Five-Yen Yatsu!" The girls turned in   
time to see a extremely beautiful woman tuck   
something into the pocket of her very tight   
dress. Everyone in the yard was on the ground,   
moaning.  
  
"And Miss Hinako's still around, too.   
Perfect." The boy sighed as he shook his head.   
He turned to look at them and cocked an eyebrow.   
"You'd better hurry, or you'll be late."  
  
Sakura shot a glance at the clock tower. She   
blinked. "Oh, crap!"   
  
Jun was nearly given whiplash as her friend   
grabbed her hand and dashed into the school.  
  
Ranma chuckled as he watched the pair dash   
into the school. He glanced up to the windows he   
had spent so much time staring out of during   
classes. Maybe I should drop in? Naw, the looks   
on their faces wouldn't be worth the trouble   
it'd cause.  
  
Ranma walked over to some bushes and grabbed   
a duffel bag, then walked out to the gate. As he   
strode out, he started to talk.  
  
"Oh, don't be like that. This is Tokyo. I   
can't just carry you strapped to my back like I   
could in China."  
  
He paused, then snickered.  
  
"Well, yeah. That's a good point. Still,   
best if you stay out of sight. Cologne would   
recognize you on sight, if not by aura."  
  
He continued walking, maintaining a one-way   
conversation. He received few looks. This WAS   
Nerima, after all.  
  
******************  
  
Nodoka hummed a little tune as she pulled   
the tray of cookies out of the oven. She loved   
to bake. It was one of the few things other than   
practicing her sword katas that could get her   
mind off her son's disappearance.   
  
She forced her mind away from her son's   
continued absence. She endured his ten-year   
absence by continuously telling herself he'd be   
coming home soon. A lie, but one that made her   
feel better.  
  
But now, she had to admit that she had no   
idea when or even if he'd return. He had just   
upped and vanished. She feared that maybe he had   
decided to just give up on Nerima and all it's   
inhabitants.  
  
She placed the cookies on a rack to cool,   
then turned to place the tray by the sink. She   
turned back and frowned a little. Roughly half   
the tray was missing. She narrowed her eyes.   
Genma. When did he return from Soun's? And how   
many times do I have to tell him to stay away   
from my baking?  
  
She turned and grabbed a wooden spoon.   
Keeping her back turned to the tray, she started   
to mentally count down. 3...2...1...NOW!  
  
*THWA-CRACK*  
  
"Ow! Damn it! That stings like a sonuva...   
Um, it stings." A familiar voice exclaimed.  
  
The spoon hit the floor. Nodoka slowly   
turned around, praying that she wasn't   
hallucinating. She wasn't. Her son was standing   
behind her, rubbing the back of his right hand   
and grinning at her.  
  
"Hi, mom. What's u-OOOF!" Ranma's breath was   
driven out of his lungs as his mother wrapped   
her arms around his waist and attempted to drop   
his pants size by at least six inches.  
  
"Mom...can't...breathe." he managed to gasp   
out. Nodoka quickly let go of him, blushing   
faintly. Then she blinked a few times, and   
started a classic "mother rant", which then   
devolved into a "Nodoka rant".  
  
"Where have you been? Do you know how   
worried we've been? Why did you up and disappear   
for HALF A YEAR? Do you have any idea what that   
did to me? Don't you EVER do that again! Well,   
unless you take a couple of your fiancees with   
you next time. I DO want grandchildren, you   
know. Speaking of which, have you met any nice   
girls while you've been gone?" she asked the   
last in a tone of voice that suggested 'nice'   
had an entirely different context than most   
people were familiar with.  
  
"No, mom. I didn't meet any 'nice' girls.   
Met several who are now trying to kill me,   
though." Ranma's voice was resigned.   
  
Nodoka sighed disappointedly. She unwrapped   
herself from her son's waist, grabbed his wrist,   
and started to pull him towards the stairs,   
chattering all the while. It was like she was   
afraid to let the air grow silent.  
  
"I hope you like your room. I tried to get   
it as close as I could to how it used to look.   
It's amazing how fast the construction crews   
fixed the house." Nodoka was suddenly stopped in   
her chatter when Ranma grabbed her wrist and   
stopped. She turned to look at him. He had a   
very serious look in his eyes.  
  
"Mom, we need to talk about my father." His   
voice was quiet.  
  
"What did Genma do this time?" Nodoka   
sighed.  
  
"Mom, I KNOW." Ranma stated emphatically. "I   
met him."  
  
Nodoka stared at him a few seconds, then   
made her way over to a couch and collapsed into   
it. She seemed to in shock. "You...know?"  
  
Ranma nodded silently, then added, "Like I   
said, I met him."  
  
Nodoka swallowed. Ranma continued, in a   
voice full of satisfaction, "Then I helped kill   
him."  
  
Nodoka snapped her eyes up to meet his. He   
grinned.   
  
"And it was fun, too." He added. Nodoka   
stared at him incredulously, then started to   
giggle (although a bit hysterically), then broke   
out in a full-blown laugh. Ranma soon joined   
her.  
  
*******************  
  
"More tea?"  
  
"Yes, thanks." Ranma held up his teacup so   
his mom could refill it, then settled back into   
his chair.  
  
"Soooo...what will you tell the Tendo's   
when you go see them?" Nodoka asked as she   
refilled her own cup.  
  
"Nothing. Ain't a chance in hell I'm gonna   
go see them." Ranma calmly replied, sipping at   
his tea.  
  
"What? Why not?" Nodoka froze as she was   
putting the teapot down.  
  
"I'm in town for specific reasons. And   
dealing with them doesn't even come close to   
appearing on that list. And I DON'T want to get   
them involved in my current set of problems.   
I've got people after me who'd blow up the   
entire block if they even thought I'd be injured   
slightly." Ranma set his cup down, then stood.  
  
"I need to be going. I have a job to do."   
He sighed. "Time to look death in the eye and   
laugh. Again."   
  
"Wait! You're just going to leave?" Nodoka   
asked desperately. I can't let him go! I've   
already lost ten years with him!  
  
"I'll be back. But I have a job to do. And   
I have to do it soon." Ranma shrugged off her   
hand from his arm. "Don't worry. If I have to   
leave suddenly, I'll make sure YOU get an   
address this time. Or at least an explanation. I   
promise you that." Ranma's voice was firm.  
  
Nodoka looked into her son's eyes. There   
was something there that hadn't been there the   
last time she had seen him. It was hard to pin   
down, but there was a definitely a change. A   
look of understanding that can only be won   
through long, hard fighting. It announced that   
her boy was gone, replaced by the man now   
standing in front of her.  
  
Nodoka lifted her hands and cradled her   
son's cheeks. Her eyes glistened with unshed   
tears as she whispered, "What has happened to   
you?"  
  
Ranma reached up and took her hands. "I  
was forced to grow up. Maybe I lost something in   
it. But at least I'm not as moody as D."  
  
"Who?" As Nodoka asked her question, she   
subtly tried to steer her son back to his seat.   
Ranma went, but his face revealed that he knew   
what she was doing.  
  
"D. Vampire hunter. Damn good, too. He's   
probably the best in the world. Vampyr. Been   
REAL moody lately. I guess having a pseudo-  
demonic alchemical experiment gone wrong bond   
itself to your hand does that." Ranma snickered.   
"I told him not to touch the damn thing."  
  
Nodoka stared at him.  
  
"Don't ask. Very long, and VERY weird,   
story. I was there and I'm still not sure what   
the hell happened." Ranma informed her. "If   
Alucard hadn't been there, we probably would   
have died. Painfully, too."  
  
"Alucard? Who's that? Another enemy? You   
just seem to stack them up." Nodoka commented as   
she refilled Ranma's cup and placed it in his   
hand.  
  
"Another vampyr. We accidentally pulled   
him out of a two century-long nap. He went back   
to sleep after he helped us take down you-know-  
who." Ranma saluted Nodoka with his cup.  
  
"How DID you do that? Kill him, I mean?   
I've researched it. He's been reported as dead   
at least six times that I can find." Nodoka   
inquired.  
  
"Carefully. D spent a LONG time planning   
it. D systematically destroyed all of his safe   
houses, then waited for the right time. We   
finally dropped the old bastard by staking him,   
beheading him, gutting him, and cutting him into   
four sections.  
  
"Then, we burned the guts and body   
sections separately, sowed the ashes with holy   
water, had them blessed by a priest, then   
scattered them over Europe, Australia, Africa,   
Antarctica, and the Artic Circle. We hid the   
ashes of his heart and brain on the American   
deep-space probe that launched last month.   
  
"And, just to top it all off, we immersed   
his skull in a vat of holy water lined with pure   
silver and buried it under the alter of the   
Vatican." Ranma finished his tea. "If he comes   
back from THAT, it'll require an act of God. D   
planned for every eventuality that he could   
think of."  
  
"It certainly was...thorough." Nodoka   
commented, a little taken back.  
  
"D decided that if he was going to try it,   
he was going do it RIGHT. Good philosophy."   
Ranma stood. "I really do have to go now, Mom. I   
have to make sure things are ready."  
  
"Ready? For what?"   
  
"I've got a job to do tomorrow. And I'll   
need plenty of time to prepare. I'll talk with   
you after I finish the job." Ranma hugged his   
mother, than smiled down at her. "So I really do   
have to go."  
  
Ranma disengaged from his mother and   
walked to the door. He was about to open it when   
his mother's voice stopped him.  
  
"Wait. I...I have something for you."   
Nodoka nervously announced.  
  
Ranma watched in puzzlement as she quickly   
exited the room and climbed the stairs. He could   
hear her rustling around in her room, then   
hastily coming back down the stairs. In her   
arms, she carried a familiar bundle. A bundle   
Ranma had lived in fear of for almost a year.  
  
Nodoka unwrapped the silk covering her   
family's clan blade and held the sword in her   
hands. She sighed. "Normally, there would be a   
long, formal ceremony in the presence of several   
witnesses to do this, but since when has   
anything involving you been normal? Here. The   
clan sword is yours now. Be careful with it.   
According to legend, it was forged by a   
descended god named Yosho."  
  
Ranma nearly dropped the sword when she   
placed it in his hands, but quickly recovered.   
He stared at the blade, then lifted his eyes to   
his mother and said a single word.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Nodoka's eyes were clear as she met his   
gaze. "Fixing past mistakes. I should have given   
it to you before the 'Wedding Incident.'"  
  
Ranma nodded. He picked up the silk   
covering and re-wrapped the sword, then quickly   
made a sling from his belt and strapped it   
across his back.  
  
"I also changed the family register.   
You're clan head, now." Nodoka continued. Ranma   
nodded again as he opened the front door and   
stepped out.  
  
"Are you sure you won't go see the   
Tendos?" Nodoka asked in an almost pleading   
voice.  
  
Ranma's voice was sad as he answered. "I   
am my father's son. I've had to accept that. Do   
you think they could?"  
  
Nodoka was silent. Ranma smiled tightly.  
  
"Neither do I. A clean break is best. If   
you have to, tell them whatever you need to."  
  
"What about your fiancees?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"When it comes right down to it, I have   
none. All of the agreements were to engage   
'Genma Saotome's son.' The only one that wasn't   
is Shampoo, who can't marry me because of the   
laws of her tribe. I'm an outcast to them   
because of what I am." Ranma shrugged. "Not a   
very elegant solution, but it works."  
  
"Not very honorable, either." Nodoka's   
voice was disapproving.   
  
Ranma glanced at her, then turned and   
started to walk out of the yard. As he walked,   
he calmly called over his shoulder, "Honor's   
over-rated. More trouble than it's worth most   
times. I'd rather be moral than honorable.   
'Honor' just gets in the way in a serious   
fight."  
  
Nodoka just stared at her son's back as he   
walked away.   
  
"My son, my son, what has happened to   
you?" she whispered in a soft, sad tone.  
  
***********************  
The Neko-hanten.  
  
"Welcome to Neko-hanten! How can Shampoo   
serve you?" Shampoo cheerfully asked as the door   
opened. Her customer, a middle-aged woman with   
brown hair and green eyes dressed in jeans and a   
white T-shirt, turned to her and raised an   
eyebrow.  
  
"You can serve me by getting Cologne. I   
was told she was here." The woman calmly stated   
as she crossed her arms and waited by the door.  
  
"Great-grandmother very busy. Maybe you   
want some lo mein? Is special today!" Shampoo   
replied chirpily.   
  
The customer's hand shot out and grabbed   
the menu from Shampoo's hand, then imbedded it a   
nearby table. Her voice was polite as she   
informed Shampoo "Tell Cologne that Lotion is   
here and wants to see her. She'll see me."  
  
Shampoo nodded quickly, then hurried into   
the back. It only took a few seconds for Cologne   
to emerge. Her voice was cautious as she greeted   
her visitor.  
  
"Lotion. Seeing you here is...unexpected."  
  
Lotion snorted. "Don't try to pull the   
'Wise Old Elder' with me, Cologne. I was there   
when you were born. I was there when your mom   
caught you and Silk in the woodshed. I carried   
you home after you found out just how strong   
sake is. So don't even try it with me."  
  
Cologne looked a little uncomfortable. She   
quickly asked, "So why are you here?"  
  
"I'm a Demon Hunter. Why do you THINK I'm   
here? Use your head." Lotion pulled out a chair   
and dropped into it. "I'm following a former   
student of mine. I think he's going to make a   
try for the Hunter's Holy Grail."  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Not what. Who." Lotion grinned. "Short,   
perverted, and exceptionally hard to kill. Sound   
like anybody you know?"  
  
Cologne just nodded silently.  
  
"Thought so. I need a room to meditate and   
a steady supply of food. I'm commandeering this   
one." Lotion gestured towards the front room.   
"Don't disturb me unless it's vital."  
  
"And what counts as vital?"  
  
"If the restaurant catches on fire...."   
Lotion's voice trailed off.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It's NOT vital. Get the idea?" Lotion   
moved to the center of the room and began to   
clear it of tables and chairs. "And I want all   
of the Amazons in the area to stay close by.   
When it goes down, I won't have time to hunt for   
you."  
  
"Why do you need us? I've seen you fight."   
Cologne stated.  
  
"Because when you go up against someone   
like Happosai, it's best to stack the deck. My   
student is good, but isn't nearly tough enough   
to do it. So, after he wears the pervert down,   
I'm going to finish him off. Simple as that."  
  
*********************  
  
Later that night, in a dimly lit hotel   
room on the other side of Nerima, a figure was   
carefully checking over its gear. The list was   
large.  
  
The clothing was first. Hand-made   
undergarments made of silk and cotton. After   
them came leather, skin-tight and black as the   
void of space. Buckles were tightened over the   
arms, legs, and chest, ensuring that there would   
be no loose edges to snag on something during a   
fight.  
  
Over all of that came light, flexible body   
armor to cover the torso, thighs, calves, and   
arms. A bit restrictive, but his life had been   
saved by the armor more than once.  
  
A pair of leather gloves, black as the   
rest of the outfit, secured by straps wrapped   
around the wrists. Thin, so as to not impede his   
sense of touch, and with reinforced backs and   
palms. Sixteen ounces of powdered lead across   
the knuckles added a little extra hit to each   
punch.  
  
Calf-high boots. Steel-toed, reinforced   
soles, special treads. Again, a bit restrictive,   
but they had kept him from broken ankles many   
times.  
  
After the clothing came the weapons:  
  
Wards. Shinto mostly, with some other   
religions tossed in. Secured in a specially   
designed pocket.  
  
A whole plethora of silver or silver-  
plated weapons. Knives, garrotes, and throwing   
blades of every description. Secreted in various   
places on the body.  
  
A single gun. A custom-modified Desert   
Eagle .50 AE. Slipped into a holster on the   
right hip. He'd usually carry others, but they'd   
just be useless weight for this fight.  
  
Clips for the Desert Eagle. Loaded with   
custom-made ammo. Silver mostly, with a few   
nasty surprises mixed in. Secured in pouches   
made for that purpose.  
  
Several bags of rather unusual items. Rose   
petals, sand, various herbs, and one bag   
containing chocolate chips. Put inside a series   
of pouches at the waist.  
  
Several insulated flasks of a crimson   
liquid. Secured in various pockets. Thigh,   
chest, and back.  
  
Several explosive devices, both improvised   
and military. Hidden where they weren't obvious.  
  
A nylon harness is slipped over all of   
this and secured. The harness is to hold two   
scabbards securely on his back. It only used   
to hold one, but a few hours with needle and   
thread fixed that.  
  
A quick check of all the buckles, snaps,   
Velcro tabs, and buttons. Then comes the next   
layer: an ankle-length leather trenchcoat.   
Black, of course.  
  
The trenchcoat was loose and supple. It   
would take a careful eye to notice that   
something was wrong with the way it draped over   
his body. It would require an actual physical   
examination to determine why it did that: Kevlar   
was woven into it at several key places. The   
elbows, hem, and all seams were triply   
reinforced with the strongest material money   
could buy, ensuring that they would hold no   
matter what was done to them.  
  
A quick adjustment to the coat and he was   
ready to slide the swords home into their   
sheaths. One, ancient beyond recorded time,   
shining with an internal silver light, shaped   
like a standard straight-edged katana. The   
other, not nearly as old but carrying a much   
greater emotional significance, forged by a   
master of the craft, also a straight-edged   
katana.  
  
Both carrying a long and honorable past.   
Both had seen much fighting. Both had spilled   
blood. Both were now his, inasmuch as anyone   
could be said to own a sword.  
  
He sighed and slid them into their sheaths   
through a pair of holes in the trenchcoat put   
there for just that reason. Both blades ran   
parallel to his spine and one hilt was visible   
over each shoulder.  
  
Then came the finally step, just as the   
horizon started to lighten with the rising of   
the sun: a pair of black, wrap-around mirror-  
shaded Oakleys. Far from the cheapest of   
sunglasses, but worth every penny.  
  
All told, he was currently wearing well   
over a million dollars in equipment and weapons.   
Almost a full two million, if you counted the   
bribes to get them in, and possible fines if he   
was caught with them.   
  
A quick kata to ensure that everything was   
settled in its correct place, and then Ranma   
flipped his pigtail over his shoulder. He made   
sure it didn't get hung up on the sword hilts,   
then clapped his hands together and grinned.  
  
"Time to go to work."  
  
**********************  
Furinkan High School.  
  
The girls piled into the locker room,   
chattering as they went. School had only been in   
session for a week now, and everyone was still   
anxiously catching up on each other's summers.  
  
It wasn't until the first few girls   
emerged from the showers that trouble reared its   
ugly head. It started with a seemingly simple   
question from one of the new girls.  
  
"Hey! Where's my bra?"  
  
All the Furinkan veterans froze. There was   
a mass exodus from the showers and a quick   
grabbing of towels. It only took a few seconds   
to determine that ALL their bras and panties   
were gone. The veterans grabbed whatever weapons   
were at hand, while a few newbies stared from   
the showers.  
  
"Jun? What's going on now?" Sakura's day   
had been fairly weird already. The Principal was   
a nut, her class had at least two cross-dressers   
in it (no one was sure about that   
Konatsu...person, but Tsubasa and Ukyo were for   
certain), and now she was watching a group of   
girls get ready for war.  
  
"I have no idea." Jun asked, staring in   
perplexed fascination. Is that a katana? Where   
did she get that rake? And where do you even   
FIND a torch these days?  
  
Suddenly, they found out why everyone was   
preparing for a fight. A two foot-tall...thing   
leaped in through a window and cried it's   
horrifying battle cry.  
  
"SWEETO!" *glomp* Screams of rage rang   
out.  
  
Sakura and Jun stared in shock as the   
troll proceeded to molest several of their   
classmates. It seemed to be upset about   
something.  
  
"Happosai! Get the hell out of here!"   
Screamed a shorthaired girl. Sakura thought her   
name was Akane.  
  
"Where are they? Where are my silky   
darlings? Why have you hidden them?" The troll   
seemed greatly distressed.  
  
"Hidden them! You STOLE them!" Akane swung   
her mallet, but missed by a country mile.   
Happosai ignored her and bounced around the   
room, looking for something. He suddenly   
grinned.  
  
"Ah, there they are! Bad girls, trying to   
keep them from me!" He bounded over to a locker   
and ripped it open. A huge mass of lingerie   
spilled out.  
  
"Sakura, isn't that your locker?" Jun   
asked in a too-calm voice. She began to edge   
away from her friend slightly.  
  
Sakura gaped a few times, then finally   
found her voice and screeched, "WHY THE HELL ARE   
THOSE IN *MY* LOCKER?!?!"  
  
A calm, MALE voice answered. "Bait."  
  
Happosai's eyes opened wide from his   
position just in front of the locker. He started   
to jump back just a gloved fist emerged from the   
locker and connected with his nose. Everyone   
winced slightly at the sound of bone breaking.   
Happosai was launched across the room and   
imbedded in some lockers at the other side from   
the force of the blow.  
  
Sakura stared at the fist that had   
unclenched and grasped the side of the locker.   
Another hand joined it and slowly, impossibly, a   
body emerged from the locker.   
  
"That's not possible." Jun whispered. The   
lockers were just large enough to store their   
clothes and books, barely three feet tall, two   
feet deep, and about a foot wide. There was NO   
way someone could have fit in them. But, someone   
had.  
  
The figure dropped to the ground, and   
straightened up, allowing them to make out   
features, including the black trenchcoat,   
sunglasses, and skin-tight leather. A voice   
named the figure.  
  
"RANMA! YOU PERVERT!" Akane swung her   
mallet, only to have it effortlessly deflected   
and a quick snap-kick planted in her stomach.  
  
"Not now. I'm busy." Ranma didn't even   
look at her as he spoke. He grinned. "Well,   
'Happi', let's dance!"  
  
Happosai pulled himself out of the lockers   
and started to growl. "That wasn't very nice,   
boy."  
  
"Neither is this." Ranma snapped his coat   
off of his right hip, revealing the pistol. He   
drew it in a flash and started firing.   
  
The girls started to scream and cower as   
Ranma pulled the trigger at an insanely fast   
rate, burning clips like there was no tomorrow.   
Happosai was moving so fast he was just a blur.   
Somehow, Ranma managed track him, missing all   
the bystanders with his shots, but blowing huge   
holes in the walls and lockers.  
  
Happosai bellowed in pain as a spray of   
red stained the wall. He stumbled in his jump   
and Ranma slammed three more bullets into his   
chest. The slide of the gun locked open on the   
last shot.  
  
"Out of clips. Damn. Knew I should have   
packed more. Girls? I'd run if I were you. This   
is about to get nasty." Ranma calmly announced   
as he re-holstered the gun. Underneath his   
sunglasses, his eyes briefly flared red.  
  
The girls rapidly followed his advice.  
  
Happosai rose to his feet, seeming not to   
notice the three holes in his chest. "You've   
made me angry."  
  
"Too bad. I'm gonna make you more than   
angry by the time I'm done." Ranma smiled as he   
dropped into a ready stance. Happosai responded   
with a ki blast of deepest crimson.  
  
Ranma intercepted the projectile with his   
own ki blast of gold shot through with the   
deepest black.  
  
Happosai froze for a second. "So, like   
THAT, is it?"  
  
Ranma's grin grew larger. "Yup."  
  
**********************  
  
Lotion's eyes shot open. Shock was evident   
on her face. "I hadn't expected it THAT quickly!   
Does that boy know no patience?"  
  
Lotion rose out of her lotus position,   
calling as she did so.   
  
"Cologne! Shampoo! Mousse! It's time! Come   
along! NOW!"  
  
The trio barely managed to keep up as   
Lotion ran into Nerima, guided by instincts   
honed by long use.  
  
*********************  
  
A crowd was rapidly gathering outside of   
the girl's locker room. First had been the   
screams of outrage, then what sounded like   
gunshots, then all the girls running out (most   
only clutching towels, some without even that),   
and now it sounded like a war was going on in   
there. No one had managed to get any information   
out of the near-hysterical girls.  
  
"Oh, my. It certainly sounds   
rather...lively in there, doesn't it?" Kasumi   
remarked to her father. Akane had forgotten her   
bento in her rush to school, so Kasumi had   
decided to bring it to her. Her father and Genma   
had accompanied her. (Actually, they were   
planning on hitting a bar, but when Kasumi asks   
you to do something....)  
  
Lotion landed not far from her, staring at   
the locker room.   
  
"Both of them are in there. And they're   
powering up."  
  
"What does that mean?" Cologne asked   
between gasps to recover her breath.  
  
"Simple. Duck." Lotion hit the ground just   
as the locker room was consumed in a fireball.   
  
The explosion threw the bystanders to the   
ground, a wash of heat flowing over them.   
Happosai sprang out of the smoke, cackling like   
mad.  
  
Ranma emerged shortly after, staggering   
slightly. His coat was ruined, hanging in   
tatters around him. He shrugged it off, casually   
commenting, "I lose more coats that way."  
  
He lifted his right hand to his forehead,   
where a large cut was bleeding. He turned his   
head and spat out some blood, probably because   
of his split lip. Then he reached over to his   
left shoulder. Grabbing it, he pulled on it   
sharply, causing a loud *POP*.  
  
"That's better. You know, now...you've   
gotten me pissed."  
  
Happosai just sank into a ready stance and   
cackled some more. "Whenever you're ready, boy.   
I've taken better than you."  
  
Ranma grinned and reached over his   
shoulders, drawing both swords in one easy   
motion, then sinking into a two-sword ready   
stance. "I was trained by some of the best   
hunters ever born. D taught me strength while   
keeping speed. Alucard honed my skills to   
perfection and taught me ALL the cheap moves he   
knew. Lotion taught me all the lore she had   
acquired in four hundred years of Hunting. So,   
yeah. You've probably faced better than me. But   
you've never faced anyone WORSE than me."  
  
"We'll see, won't we?" Happosai's voice   
was calm.  
  
"Yeah, we will." Ranma replied.  
  
Then, both charged.  
  
TBC...  
***************  
Author's notes:  
  
And that's it for now. I finally got a   
definite idea of where I wanted to go with this   
and now I'm gonna go there. (Maybe slowly.   
After all, I place AtST first in writing   
efforts.)  
  
Ranma OOC? Hey, the Tendos only knew him   
for a year. He's been gone for six months.   
People can change a LOT in six months.   
Especially with how crazy Ranma's life can be.  
  
Of course, any C&C is greatly appreciated.   
My e-mail address is at the top and bottom of the   
fic. (Just look down about three lines.)  
  
Ja Ne!  
Slacker (rheins@pmt.org)  
  
First draft 05/22/01  
Released to MLs 06/14/01  



End file.
